Part of history coming down

Crews began disassembling a hefty piece of Bessemer City nostalgia this week.

Diane Turbyfill

Crews began disassembling a hefty piece of Bessemer City nostalgia this week.

The city water tower will be a thing of the past.

While some people aren’t happy about losing the makeshift billboard boasting “Home of the Yellow Jackets,” the structure had become a liability to the city, according to Kevin Krouse, assistant city manager in Bessemer City.

The water tower hasn’t been used in years, said Krouse. Initially, the structure was still hooked into the main water lines. Once it was out of service, state regulations required the city to eventually disconnect it.

The tower continued to sit idle, but maintenance was required that began to get costly, said Krouse.

In addition to needing a new coat of paint, other work was on the horizon to ensure safety. City Council eventually voted to cough up the $18,000 needed to take down the structure.

“People hated to see it go but the council thought it was in the city’s best interest to get rid of it,” said Krouse.

RE McLean Tank Company Inc. of Gastonia removed the water tower.

You can reach reporter Diane Turbyfill at 704-869-1817 and twitter.com/GazetteDiane.